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A Strong Health Team Can Help Detect, Mitigate Birth Defects

by TERESA SCHIFFER Sponsored by Central Florida Health Care January is National Birth Defects Awareness Month, a time for discussions about how different birth defects can affect individuals over the course of their lifespan, and what can be done to minimize the risk of these occurrences. It’s important to understand that the term “birth defect”…
Pop Quiz: Trust Your Gut

How Much Do You Know About Microbiomes and Your Digestive Health? Did you know that some kinds of bacteria are actually beneficial to have in your digestive tract? While it may sound counterintuitive, certain strains of bacteria — like lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria, which make up your gut microbiome — offer a host of benefits for…
Funding the Future of Nursing

AdventHealth to Provide $1.7 Million for Polk State Program story and photos by PAUL CATALA Since 1965, Polk State College has instructed, encouraged, and placed about 21,500 students into successful nursing careers. On average, 430 nurses graduate from the school’s nursing college each year. Now that program will have even more to offer thanks to…

Medical advice: Poison help in the home

If you suspected that a member of your household had ingested a potentially poisonous substance, would you know what to do? Did you know you can call the Florida Poison Information Center—sometimes referred to as Poison Control—at 1-800-222-1222 for assistance with any possible poison event? A health care professional is available 24 hours a day,…
Editor’s Dose: I’d Rather Be… at the Dentist

Okay, it’s confession time. I used to be one of those people who was afraid to go to the dentist. I know it sounds silly, but just the thought of having someone staring down my mouth was mortifying. I would gladly go through natural childbirth with no medication, speak in front of a crowd of…
PCMA Letter: The big picture of your health

Everyone knows the old expression “a picture is worth a thousand words.” Well, in the field of medicine, we take special care to look at the big picture of your overall health— not just the symptoms. As physicians who understand that healthy lifestyle choices are key to a long and fruitful life, it’s important to…